HARRISON, N.J. – Clint Dempsey scored off the bench as Seattle Sounders FC (17-8-3, 54 points) fell to the New York Red Bulls (10-8-11, 41 points), 4-1, on Saturday at Red Bull Arena. Bradley Wright-Phillips completed a hat trick as New York snapped Seattle's four-match winning streak.
Seattle, which remains in first place for the Supporters' Shield with a three-point lead over the LA Galaxy, is now 7-5-2 away from home in MLS competition this season.
In the opening minute, Wright-Phillips received a ball in the middle of the box and passed it wide to Ambroise Oyongo. Oyongo's shot was deflected on frame and saved by Stefan Frei, but fell in the box to Wright-Phillips, who knocked it in from close range.
The Red Bulls extended the lead to 2-0 with a penalty kick in the 54th minute. Dylan Remick conceded a foul in the box with a sliding challenge, and Wright-Phillips' ensuing attempt beat Frei despite the goalkeeper getting a hand to it.
In the 56th minute, Wright-Phillips competed the hat trick on a streaking one-touch finish from the middle of the box to make the score 3-0. It was his MLS-leading 24th goal of the season.
Seattle scored its lone goal in the 62nd minute. Lamar Neagle dribbled into the box and drew two defenders before dropping the ball a few yards to the left, where Dempsey struck the ball past Luis Robles and into the back of the net. It was Dempsey's 12th goal of the season.
In the 65th minute, Tim Cahill made it 4-1 when he directed a Seattle mis-clearance inside the right post.
Sounders FC will face FC Dallas on Wednesday, Sept. 24 at Toyota Stadium at 6:00 p.m. PT.
Scoring Summary:
NY- Bradley Wright-Phillips 1'
NY- Bradley Wright-Phillips (penalty) 54'
NY- Bradley Wright-Phillips (Roy Miller, Thierry Henry) 56'
SEA- Clint Dempsey (Lamar Neagle) 62'
NY- Tim Cahill 65'
Seattle Sounders FC – Stefan Frei, Jalil Anibaba, Chad Marshall, Djimi Traore-C, Dylan Remick, Lamar Neagle, Andy Rose, Osvaldo Alonso (Gonzalo Pineda 80), Marco Pappa, Kenny Cooper (Clint Dempsey 60), Chad Barrett (Obafemi Martins 59).
Substitutes Not Used: Marcus Hahnemann, Zach Scott, Micheal Azira, DeAndre Yedlin.
TOTAL SHOTS: 10 (5 tied at 2); SHOTS ON GOAL: 6 (2 tied at 2); FOULS: 8 (2 tied at 2); OFFSIDE: 4 (4 tied at 1); CORNER KICKS: 4 (Pappa 4); SAVES: 5 (Frei 5).
New York Red Bulls – Luis Robles, Chris Duvall, Jamison Olave, Ibrahim Sekagya, Roy Miller (Ian Christianson 84), Lloyd Sam, Eric Alexander, Dax McCarty, Ambroise Oyongo, Thierry Henry-C (Eric Stevenson 90+2), Bradley Wright-Phillips (Tim Cahill 58).
Substitutes Not Used: Ryan Meara, Richard Eckersley, Armando, Peguy Luyindula.
TOTAL SHOTS: 15 (3 tied at 3); SHOTS ON GOAL: 8 (Wright-Phillips 3); FOULS: 8 (2 tied at 2); OFFSIDE: 4 (4 tied at 1); CORNER KICKS: 4 (Henry 4); SAVES: 4 (Robles 4).
Misconduct Summary:
None
Referee: Alan Kelly
Referee's Assistants: Paul Scott, Chris Strickland
4th Official: Robert Sibiga
Attendance: 25,000
Weather: Clear and 73 Degrees
